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Entrance forecourt in winter
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Entrance foyer looking toward theatre bar
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Linking gallery looking toward studio gallery & pool
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Main 12m high gallery space
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5m high studio gallery doors
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Evening overview of south face of building
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Plans
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Sections
Visual - Centre for Contemporary Art & the George Bernard Shaw Theatre
Terry Pawson Architects. Carlow, Ireland
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Name of work in English
Visual - Centre for Contemporary Art & the George Bernard Shaw Theatre
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Name of work in original language
Visual - Centre for Contemporary Art & the George Bernard Shaw Theatre
Prize year
EUmies Awards 2011
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Work Location
Carlow, Ireland
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Studio
Terry Pawson Architects
EUmies Awards 2011 Shortlisted
Collaborators
Building physics: Arup; Structural engineering: Arup; Quantity surveyor: Nolan Ryan Tweeds; Art: Bruce McAllister; Acoustical: Acoustic Dimensions; Collaborator (office): Jeremy Browne, Gustav Ader; Others: Theater Projects; Collaborator (office): Natalie Galland, Andy Gowing, Andy Summers, Sebastian Reinehr, Joanna Malitzki, Justyna Pollak
Program
Culture
Completion
2009
The contemporary art gallery and 350seat theatre is located in the centre of Carlow on an openlawned quadrangle bounded by St Patrick's College and the Carlow Cathedral. Conceived as an assembly of translucent volumes; the largest gallery sits at the centre of the plan, with the smaller galleries and the theatre spiralling around. The exhibition spaces are arranged in a sequence that heightens the dramatic contrast between the dark sculpted baroque quality of the textured concrete linking spaces, and the sublime white simplicity of the main formal galleries.
Deeply coffered concrete ceilings alternately compress and release the spatial sequence, defining areas of repose and spatial transition. The duality between art gallery and theatre, and the dilemma of a 'blank faced' arts building, are turned to advantage by wrapping the whole structure in an opaque glass skin. During the day soft muted daylight is transmitted to the interior galleries, while at night the building is transformed to an illuminated glowing theatre.